Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a technology for processing image data captured by an imaging apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, so-called Mixed Reality (MR) technology has been known as a technology for seamlessly merging a real world and a virtual world in real time. A technology using a video see-through head mounted display (HMD) is known as one type of the MR technology. According to this technology, an image of a real space observed by a HMD wearer (user) is captured with a camera (an imaging unit). Further, a virtual image is generated by rendering using computer graphics (CG), based on the position and the direction of the imaging unit. The virtual image is combined with the captured image, so that a composite image is generated. The composite image is displayed on a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display, so that the user can observe the composite image.
Assume that, in such a MR system, an imaging device of the imaging apparatus is made to have a higher pixel density in order to achieve higher image quality. In this case, the total amount of data to be processed and transmitted increases, which enlarges the system. Therefore, it is conceivable that video images may be generated by segmenting an image by converting a resolution or clipping a part of the image, depending on the use purpose of the image. The generated video images are to be used for different purposes in a subsequent stage of the system. Therefore, it is desirable to apply appropriate image processing to each of the video images.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-121870 discusses a related technology as follows. According to this technology, in a vehicle-mounted stereoscopic camera range-finding apparatus, video images are obtained from identical imaging devices, and then divided into a video image for monitoring, and a video image for a stereoscopic image processing circuit. Subsequently, non-linear processing about luminance is performed only on the video image for monitoring.
However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-121870 discusses nothing about performing appropriate image processing corresponding to a use purpose, on each of video images generated by segmentation in a MR system.